Analysis and comment from Memphis, Tennessee, on media, politics, culture, science, my life and anything else that catches my eye.

Wednesday, September 03, 2003

And Give Them A Weapon While You're At It

A rumor has been the big news the past few weeks. Supposedly, Ringo Starr is moving into a house in Germantown. Well, the Commercial Appealinvestigated and found the rumor false. Too bad, I guess.

But in the reporting we find yet another example of the CA doing something very, very harmful for no discernable reason. Reporting about people having to deal with sightseers, trespassers and the curious all coming to see "Ringo's house" the CA publishes the poor couple's street address, a map to their home and a photo of the house! Now everyone knows exactly where to go.

The CA did the same thing with a man who, earlier this year, shot a home intruder to death. The man was one of the few remaining white people in a majority-black neighborhood. Most all his neighbors agreed that the victim was completely at fault in his own death. But the CA did the same thing, publishing his full name, address, printing a map and publishing photos of his neighborhood. Not only that, but a reporter even described how to get into the neighborhood, avoiding a false entrance! It was abominable, and likely contributed to his house being shot at one night.

Why the CA does things like this is beyond me. They've published the County Mayor's street and a photo of his home, but not City Mayor Herenton's. In a story about Pat Kerr Tigrett being robbed, they published similar info as above about the restaurant she was dining at, but avoided any mention of her home or address. It varies, apparently, with who you are and how you stand with the CA.